Too hard to establish a measure of child poverty John?

A United Nations report has today directly challenged New Zealand to take action to address child poverty, including establishing a national definition of poverty, according to Metiria Turei, co-leader of the Green Party.

“The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has today said it is seriously concerned about child poverty in New Zealand. It has called for us to establish a definition of poverty so progress to reducing it can be measured.”

“But John Key still refuses to measure child poverty – and that appears to be because he doesn’t want to be judged on his failures.

“None of us want to live in a country where child poverty is considered normal. But John Key continues to say it’s too hard to measure – and that’s simply a failure of leadership,” said Metiria Turei.

Measures the UN Committee has urged New Zealand to adopt include:

Introducing a systemic approach to addressing child poverty, in particular Maori and Pasifika children, including establishing a national definition of poverty
Substantially increasing funding to directly and comprehensively tackle child poverty
Called for coordinated systems in Government to invest in children, track that investment and ensure appropriate measurements of children’s wellbeing.
Strengthening social protection mechanisms and intensifying efforts to provide safe and adequate housing to all children

Volunteer

The Greens are proud to be driven by passionate people like you. Today we need your help to take action on the biggest issues facing Aotearoa. Volu...

Action

Save Auckland's Climate Budget

Sign the petition to stop Mayor Wayne Brown's proposal for dangerous cuts to climate and environmental programmes that protect us from extreme weat...

Action

No New Mines 2023

Action

Expand Voting

Now more than ever, young people in Aotearoa are impacted by Government decisions, and they deserve to have a say. We are calling on all Members of...

Action

End Intensive Winter Grazing

Sign the petition to Labour Ministers, to move faster in bringing regulations into force and end intensive winter grazing.

Action

Trains for Climate

Add your name to our open letter urging the Minister for Finance Grant Robertson to save our passenger trains between Wellington, the Wairarapa and...

Action

Healthy Oceans 2022

Join our Healthy Oceans Crew to help us keep the health and protection of our oceans high on the Labour Government’s political agenda.

Action

It's time: A Ministry for Rainbow Communities

Join our call asking the Prime Minister to establish a Ministry for Rainbow Communities that can champion Rainbow issues.

Action

No new mines on conservation land

Sign the open letter asking Labour Ministers to stick to their promise of banning new mining projects on conservation land.

Action

Allow community ownership of our buses

Public transport is an essential service and helps to tackle the climate crisis by reducing our carbon emissions. But there are barriers to communi...

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Children Announcements

Story

Greens welcome paid parental leave increase, urge Govt to go further

The Green Party is today welcoming the increase in paid parental leave payments, but is urging the Government to continue supporting families when ...

National would make life harder for people

Christopher Luxon and the National Party are not telling the full story when it comes to childcare, the Green Party says.

Greens welcome childcare support, call for more action

The Green Party is welcoming the modest support for families announced by the Labour Government but calling for more urgent action to ease the pres...

Trust betrayed with passing of OT Bill

By passing the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki Bill in the face of overwhelming opposition from nearly every community, the Labour Government has fail...

Green Party welcomes new report critiquing OT Oversight bill

The Green Party once again calls on the Government to withdraw its Oversight of Oranga Tamariki Bill.

Greens back taihoa call on Oranga Tamariki bill

The Green Party will be voting against the Oranga Tamariki oversight bill as it comes up for second reading in Parliament today.

Story

A National/ACT Government would make life miserable for those already worst off

Only a party vote for the Greens will end poverty. ACT’S welfare policy announced today is as cruel as it gets.

A comparison between the Green Party’s and Labour’s family support

Everyone will be better off under the Green Party’s plan.

Food banks are not the solution

The Green Party is today calling on the Government to implement the Income Guarantee, in addition to funding food banks.

Income guarantee a clear and immediate solution to Prod Comm findings

The Green Party’s Income Guarantee could be a central pillar of the “social floor” recommended today by the Productivity Commission.

Ending Poverty Together - James Shaw Speech

The mark of a civilised society should be that - at the very least - everyone has a warm place to call home and food on the table.

Green Party’s new Income Guarantee for every New Zealander

The Green Party has today announced a new Income Guarantee for every New Zealander.